THIRTEEN's THEATER CLOSE-UP to Air 'THE GABRIELS' Trilogy This December

This December, Theater Close-Up will Raise the Curtain for viewers on Tony Award-winning playwright and director Richard Nelson's compelling three-play cycle, The Gabriels: Election Year in the Life of One Family.

The trilogy premieres December 3, 4 and 5 at 10 p.m. on THIRTEEN and provides an intimate portrait of the Gabriels family as they gather around their kitchen table to make sense of their own lives as well as the seismic changes taking place in the wider world. The performances were filmed at New York City's The Public Theater in March 2017.

Tony Award-winning playwright and director Richard Nelson's moving and gently humorous three-play cycle, The Gabriels: Election Year in the Life of One Family, provides a compelling view into the 2016 presidential election through an intimate portrait of the Gabriels family as they gather in their Rhinebeck, N.Y., kitchen to discuss the tumult in their own lives and make sense of the seismic changes taking place in the wider world.

The first installment, "The Gabriels: Hungry" (Sunday, December 3 at 10 p.m. on THIRTEEN), opens eight months before the election and introduces the audience to the Gabriel siblings as they come together in THE KITCHEN of the house they grew up in and work to process a recent loss, keeping their hands busy with peeling, chopping and washing-up, discussing the current political climate all the while.

Part two, "The Gabriels: What Did You Expect?" (Monday, December 4 at 10 p.m. on THIRTEEN), takes place over the course of a single evening in the midst of the election year with the Gabriels discussing history, money, politics, culture and family while they prepare a meal at THE KITCHEN table.

The final play, "The Gabriels: Women of a Certain Age" (Tuesday, December 5 at 10 p.m. on THIRTEEN), finds the Gabriels family anxiously awaiting the results of the presidential election on November 8, 2016. Patricia, the matriarch, joins her children and daughters-in-law in THE KITCHEN to reminisce over the difficult year behind them and talk about a future that seems increasingly uncertain.

The performances feature original cast members Meg Gibson (Karin Gabriel), Lynn Hawley (Hannah Gabriel), Roberta Maxwell (Patricia Gabriel), Maryann Plunkett (Mary Gabriel), Jay O. Sanders (George Gabriel), and Amy Warren (Joyce Gabriel). Written and directed by Richard Nelson.

The broadcast is directed by Emmy Award-winner David Horn, executive producer of Theater Close-Up and acclaimed PBS series Great Performances.

The Theater Close-Up broadcast of The Gabriels is introduced by Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater.

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The three plays in The Gabriels cycle are:

Theater Close-Up "The Gabriels: Hungry" - Premieres December 3 at 10p.m.

Set on Super Tuesday during the primary, in the Gabriels' kitchen, where THE FAMILY prepares a meal following the loss of a loved one.

Theater Close-Up "The Gabriels: What Did You Expect?" - Premieres December 4 at 10p.m.

The Gabriels deal with a financial crisis and the general election is in full swing.

Theater Close-Up "The Gabriels: Women of a Certain Age" - Premieres December 5 at 10p.m.

In the moving finale, the Gabriels consider the future as they await the results of the election.

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Now in its third season, Theater Close-Up is a unique collaboration between THIRTEEN and New York City-area Off-Broadway and regional theaters and shines a spotlight on the best and brightest local productions.

Theater Close-Up "The Gabriels" is a production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC in association with BroadwayHD and the New York Shakespeare Festival. Directed by David Horn. For Theater Close-Up: Mitch Owgang is producer; Bill O'Donnell is series producer; and David Horn is executive producer. For Broadway HD, Stewart F. Lane is producer, with Gio Messale and Benjamin M Birney as co-producers and Bonnie Comley is executive producer. Executive-in-charge for WNET is Neal Shapiro.

Major support for this presentation of Theater Close-Up is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, Bernard and Irene Schwartz, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, and The Wilson Family.

WNET is America's flagship PBS station and parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21. WNET also operates NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its broadcast channels, three cable services (THIRTEEN PBSKids, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings. WNET's groundbreaking series for children and young adults include Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase as well as Mission US, the award-winning interactive history game. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Theater Close-Up, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the daily multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. In addition, WNET produces online-only programming including the award-winning series about gender identity, First Person, and an intergenerational look at tech and pop culture, The Chatterbox with Kevin and Grandma Lill. In 2015, THIRTEEN launched Passport, an online streaming service which allows members to see new and archival THIRTEEN and PBS programming anytime, anywhere: www.thirteen.org/passport.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus